The car sped away from Curtis’s villa like it couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Inside the vehicle, the air was thick with tension.
The aggressive confidence they’d walked in with was long gone-replaced by nothing but frustration and bitterness.
Vanessa clutched her aching cheek, sobbing softly with a wounded expression.
She leaned into Craig, voice trembling.
“That Delia…
she’s just a pitiful orphan with no one in the world, and now, just because she married Curtis, she thinks she can walk all over me?
She even had the nerve to slap me!
And Curtis-he just stood there, watching that woman humiliate us!”
As she wept, Vanessa kept stealing glances at Craig’s reaction.
Craig was already seething, and her sob-streaked complaints only made his frustration boil over.
He suddenly shoved her away and snapped, “Crying?
What’s the point of that?
Useless!
Can’t even put a younger woman in her place!”
His chest rose and fell heavily, anger building at the memory of Delia’s sharp tongue and mocking expression.
His voice hardened: “We are not letting this slide.”
The moment he said it, Vanessa’s eyes lit up with a flicker of triumph.
She quickly wiped her tears and leaned closer, her tone eager.
“Exactly!
We can’t let it go.”
“That Delia is pure trouble.
Curtis is completely taken in, can’t even think straight.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was all part of his plan-he probably hates us more than we realize.”
Matthew quickly chimed in, sensing his mother’s cue.
“Mom’s right.
He totally disrespects you, Dad!”
But Craig shot him a sidelong look, lips twitching into a sneer.
“You’re all so sure Curtis was behind this.
How come?
What are you hiding from me?”
Matthew tensed, blindsided by the sudden suspicion.
His eyes darted nervously-no way he could admit to hiring someone to attack Curtis and failing.
“I just…
who else would come after me like that?” he muttered, voice barely steady.
Vanessa noticed his slip and jumped in to rescue the moment, cutting him off and steering the topic away.
“Craig, come on, isn’t it obvious?
He’s jealous of Matthew because you care about him more.
That’s why he lashed out-he’s always been ungrateful!”
“No matter how much you’ve done for him, it’s never enough for Curtis,” she added bitterly.
Craig stared at them both, catching the unease in their eyes.
Instead of easing his doubts, their defensiveness only deepened his suspicions.
He could feel it-something wasn’t adding up.
He let out a cold snort.
“Fine.
Just keep yourselves in check.
Don’t stir up any more trouble.”
Vanessa, realizing he wasn’t pushing the issue further, exhaled in relief.
But his lack of further action annoyed her, and she clung to his arm again, whining, “Just letting it go?
Look what they did to Matthew!
Are you really gonna stay quiet?
You’re the head of this family-you have to stand up for us.
Curtis needs to explain himself!”
“What kind of explanation are you expecting?” Craig growled, shaking her off.
“We don’t have any proof right now.”
“If we move on them without something concrete, it’ll only backfire.”
He paused, eyes dark as he gazed out the window.
His voice was low but steely.
“And the one backing him…
that person’s not simple.”
“Him?” Vanessa’s face tightened in confusion for a second, then she bit her lip, clearly dissatisfied.
“Ugh…”
Craig was pissed off, sure-but he wasn’t stupid.
“We can’t make any moves.
At least not yet,” he said quietly but firmly.
He could arrange for someone to keep an eye on Curtis-or even take more serious action-but now wasn’t the time for a big showdown.
Because Curtis wasn’t just protected by the old folks from the Stockton clan.
There were others looking out for him too.
“So what, we’re just gonna let it slide?” Matthew growled low, frustration written all over his face.
“I took that beating for nothing?
Dad, I swear I’m not letting this go.
Curtis and that woman Delia need to pay!”
He didn’t even care who exactly they were mad at.
All he knew was, Craig had no intention of stepping in any further.
Watching her son practically fume, Vanessa’s heart twisted.
Then, as if something clicked, she leaned closer and whispered to Craig, “Do you think Curtis’s leg…
is actually better now?”
Craig jerked his head toward her, eyes sharp.
“What are you getting at?”
“Wasn’t Delia super disgusted by him before?
She wouldn’t suddenly start cozying up to him unless she thought he wasn’t some useless cripple anymore.
Maybe she knows he’s healed, and that’s why she’s changing her tune.” Vanessa’s voice grew more certain with each word.
Craig didn’t need her logic to be airtight-her guess got right under his skin.
Because if Curtis really was healed, then all the underhanded moves he pulled before were already meaningless.
A smart, driven Curtis, fueled by resentment and now physically whole?
He wouldn’t be someone Craig could manipulate anymore.
To Matthew’s place as heir.
To his own grip on power-both as head of the family and of the Stockton Corp.
Craig’s gaze darkened, his fingers curling into a fist on his knee.
He couldn’t let that happen.
“If that bastard actually got better…
then I’ll make sure he never stands again.”
*****
The morning light spilled warmly through the spacious dining room.
Edith motioned for the staff to place the last dish, then quietly led everyone out.
The space was left entirely to the couple.
Delia looked like she was in the best mood ever, like shooing away those three troublemakers had been a straight-up win.
She settled into the seat beside Curtis, holding her fork happily.
“Try this one,” she said, picking up a delicate shrimp dumpling and placing it on his plate.
“I paid extra attention this time.
Pretty sure it’s better than my last attempt.”
Curtis glanced down at the dumpling, then up at her smiling face.
Sunlight framed her features, softening every angle.
Her eyes were curved like crescents, glowing with warmth.
It almost felt…
surreal.
From suddenly moving back into the master bedroom, to that sneaky kiss that morning, to stepping in just now to defend him.
She was shifting so fast-it was like a tide crashing in out of nowhere.
And he could feel his walls, the ones he’d spent years building, start to crack.
He dropped his gaze and ate the dumpling in silence.
It really was good-tender and full of flavor.
“Yeah…
tastes fine.” His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
But the tight set of his jaw relaxed ever so slightly.
Seeing him approve, Delia beamed like sunshine, happily diving into conversation.
She chatted about a silly variety show she watched the night before, even mimicking one of the goofy guests.
Curtis mostly listened, not saying much.
When she asked for his opinion on something, he gave her a short reply.
Just a few words.
But he never interrupted.
Never looked annoyed.
His eyes, more than once, drifted to her lively expressions, absorbing her cheerful tone.
And inside, something unfamiliar stirred quietly.
Still, in a corner of Delia’s mind, one nagging question wouldn’t let go.